IAF has been steering the second version of MBC-II. The competition was launched on 06 Apr 22 by honourable Raksha Mantri with theme as "Swarm Drone Based System to Detect Foreign Objects on Aircraft Operating Surfaces". It got concluded on 29 Jul 24.

Four out of initial 129 applicants, were shortlisted as finalists after rigorous assessments by a nominated Committee of Experts (CoE). It comprised of domain experts from IAF as well as civil institutes. The competition was held in four phases of which last phase was conducted in Jul 24. Based on the assessment, Ayaan Autonomous Systems Pvt Ltd, Pune and Fleet RF Pvt Ltd, Greater Noida, have been declared as winner and first runner up respectively.

IAF is undertaking niche technology development in the turf of Unmanned and autonomous aerial vehicles through its innovative initiative Mehar Baba Competition (MBC). The MBC is forerunner in bridging the gap between Indian industry, academia, and users by providing them common platforms.

The competition has successfully forged a robust ecosystem, resulting in the capture of orders amounting more than thousand cores over the past three years from various industries including armed forces. This economic success is not just a testament to the MBC-II competitiveness but also underscores the potential for significant growth in the drone sector. An equally commendable achievement is the employment generation of thousands of individuals, predominantly fresh graduates from colleges and academia. The competition serves as a beacon, guiding the way for future advancements in UAV technology and reinforcing India's position on the global stage and Honourable PM's vision of Indian being a Global drone hub by 2030.

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